📜 No regular rhythm 🏺 No base or feet

unfooted

9.1

A line of poetry that does not have a regular rhythm of beats

adjective
/ʌnˈfʊtɪd/

Literature

: sin métrica

Critics noted that the unfooted lines gave the poem a sense of freedom and spontaneity.

Examples

Some readers found the unfooted verse challenging but appreciated its break from tradition.
The poem felt unfooted and chaotic.
The poet chose an unfooted structure to emphasize the unpredictability of the theme.
This line is unfooted.
The poet chose an unfooted structure to emphasize the unpredictability of the theme.
Critics noted that the unfooted lines gave the poem a sense of freedom and spontaneity.
Some readers found the unfooted verse challenging but appreciated its break from tradition.

Synonyms

unmetered

vsunfooted

Literature

6.3

Not written with a regular beat like free verse

is about lines not arranged in metrical feet specifically

unmetrical

vsunfooted

Literature

8.2

Not having a regular rhythm in speech, music, and poetry

focuses on lines not arranged in metrical feet rather than general rhythm

nonmetrical

vsunfooted

7.8

Not having a regular beat or rhythm in poetry and music

refers specifically to lines lacking arrangement into metrical feet

unmeasured

vsunfooted

Literature

7.8

Words in poetry or prose that do not follow a regular rhythm

applies to lines without regular feet rather than broader measured rhythm

How Metered

metered

Literature

1 4.7

unfooted

Literature

9.1

irregular

27 3.5

Surface Forms

unfooted positive

Morphology

unfooted = footed (semi-transparent) = un + foot + ed

The negative prefix 'un-' combines with 'footed' transparently, but the poetic sense 'arranged in metrical feet' is specialized and may not be obvious to an average learner.

Etymology

The word unfooted comes from un- 'not' and foot 'foot' or 'step'. In poetry a 'foot' is a small rhythm like a step, so unfooted means a line has no regular rhythmic 'steps'.